Ancient Umm Al-Jimāl
Umm Al-Jimāl is the largest and best-preserved ancient rural in the basaltic Southern Hauran region of northern Jordan and southern Syria. The site is about 90km north of Jordan’s capital, Amman.
Material culture, epigraphy, and regional evidence all point to the beginning of settlement at Umm Al-Jimāl in the later 1st century CE. The site was occupied until the 8th century CE, after which point it was visited seasonally or occupied short-term until the 20th century.
The spectacular ruins still standing today are primarily from the Late Antique period (c. 500–700) and were built by the local people in the traditional architectural style of the Hauran.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site (2024)
In July 2024, Umm Al-Jimāl became the next Jordanian property to join the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Umm Al-Jimāl Archaeological Project is honored to have prepared the nomination dossier under the oversight of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, a process made possible due the invaluable contributions of many local and regional stakeholders throughout the years-long effort.
Visit Umm A-Jimāl's page on the UNESCO website to read the nomination file and site management plan, and explore photos and video of the site.